City: In the southeast of Germany, in
Bavaria, is the city of Altdorf bei Nürnberg situated
25 kilometers east of Nürnberg (Nuremberg). The city
has 15,372 inhabitants.
Altdorf was first mentioned historically in the year
1129. In 1504 the city was conquered by the imperial free
city of Nuremberg. In 1622 a university was founded here by
the city counsel of Nuremberg. This university continued to
exist until 1809. The Wichernhaus, where the university was
once housed, is one of the touristic attractions of Altdorf.
It was built in 1575. There were once botanical gardens, an
astronomical observatory and a chemical laboratory. Today
it is still a school - a boarding school for the disabled.
Other attractions of the city are the 16th century city hall,
various buildings in the Renaissance style, old city gates
and the castle, Schloss Grünsberg.
Building: The construction of the Laurentius
church was completed in the year 1407. The choir of the church
and parts of the tower are designed in late Gothic style.
In 1755, the nave of the church was extended and rebuilt in
baroque style. The prayer niches are from the time that the
university was housed in the city. Today the building is used
by the Protestant church.
Bibles and hymn books that were published and printed
in Altdorf have also been distributed beyond Germany and other
countries.
Gods’s name: God's name can be
found in the form of the tetragrammaton at the top of the
main altar, inside a golden halo decorated with a coat of
arms.
